Skulls & Shackles (Inactive)

Game Master Foxy Quickpaw

Trytton checks the inside of the shape the islands form. The islands are raising between 20 and 60 feet out of the sea with steep cliffs. No nice sand beaches to just walk up to. Above that, they are covered in jungle. Birds fly and apes cry.

At the side of the largest island is the entrance to the infamous Mancatcher Cove. It forms an almost perfectly round bowl in the side of this jungle-cloaked island. The water in this circular bowl is an almost indigo hue compared to the turquoise of the waters surrounding the island, hinting at the extreme depth of the cove. Cliffs surround the bowl on all sides except the entrance, and a few small beaches have formed where the water meets the rock face. The jungle grows thickly atop these cliffs, the massive trees spreading their branches out and over the cove. From these trees a series of interlaced vines have grown like a loose net canopy 100 feet above the water, giving the cove a cavelike quality in the shadows of predawn or twilight. More vines, creepers, and roots extend down the cliffs, creating a dense maze of twisting tendrils that shroud numerous dark hollows in the rock.

While Trytton is off, Estelle will do some rounds on the boat with Flips and Owlbear.

Craft Ships To Inspect the ship: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

"We be needin' ta keep the ship in top shape. What do ya be needin' to fix up or build new ballista?" Estelle asks Flips.

Craft Siege Engines: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

"We be needing more wood fer makin' bolts and a lot o' complex little bits to build some new ballista." Flips tightens the rope on the ballista they are standing by.

"An more crew with some trainin' I cannot be the only one."

Besmara walks up and down on the deck. She scolds pirates for ropes not tidily coiled and dirt on the deck. Finally she calls in a meeting of all officers in her cabin.

As all are present she starts "I don't like that situation. We are attacking at their home and will fight at their conditions. Which is underwater. Fighting in water is tedious and without some good ideas we are at a serious disadvantage. Any suggestions how to inprove that situation in our favour?"

Stabbing weapons, magic for breathing and swimming well.

Lets see what Trytton comes back with. If he does not see anything clear maybe we explore the island to see if there is a land based back door to these Sharks Lair?

Or maybe we draw them out some way and make some of them come to us?

Landsharks! Noonan nods.

Estelle sits on the floor, watching everyone talk about how to attack.
"There be a small opening we can go in? Maybe they not be expecting people ta come that way?"

Checking the caves in the cove reveals that one of them actually seems to lead where the sahuagin live as now and then one of them enters or comes out from there.

"Ye think he be dead?" Estelle looks around at those gathered.

As if he had heard that request to write him off, Trytton emerges from the waves. He comes on board and informs all about his findings but he is none the wiser why so much ships sunk there. From the look of the wracks the Sahuagin break the hulls and make the ships sink. But from what he has seen there are not the numbers to do that regularly on every ship that enters the cove.

With all this new information Besmara states "We need a way to defend our ship underwater! Chay - what can you do to get our crew fit for that?"

More stuff like Trytton's amulet?

"Well, Trytton can make the most of that amulet for scouting, but for defending the ship he doesn't need it and someone else can play mermaid. But a spell that allows to swim like a fish without becoming one would be good enough for a start. And Noonan's advice for equipment is gold too. Now that he mentions it - I've never seen a water creature wielding a club or a cutlass. Do we have that kind of weapons, like rapiers, spears or short swords for enough of the men? I want everything on the table."

"Estelle, get the weapons and see how many you can prepare for water combat. Chay, what do you have to aid them? Can you make half of the crew become battle fish? Are there options to fight them from the deck? Come on guys - I don't want to find my ship and myself on the ground of the sea tomorrow."

As it becomes clear that the plan will be to sail into the cove one of the sailors from the Thresher approaches. Kneading his bandanna in both hands "If I may..." he starts waiting for a reaction and as he gets encouraged by the captain he tells "Even Inkskin did neva sail inta the cove. And she'd been allies with da sharkmen."

"What are we missing here?" Besmara asks.

I can only make 4 crew swim like a fish, and that will only last for a few minutes like the invisibility. And that's only tomorrow. Today I can only make one swim that way.
Give me a few weeks and a bunch of gold and I can write scrolls to make most of the crew swim fast but not now.

Captain, your missing the knowlege of what's lurks down in the deep. That pit is most likely the lair of something and the sharkmen are not the real danger. Maybe it's a whirlpool or a live Kracken, but the evidence says if we sail in there the ship goes down. I strongly advise we find another way to get in.

Captain, if you give me sn hour, I can create a illusion of a small ship entering the bay , while we stay outside near the mouth and see what happens.

"Nah, giving away that we are here? How far can you throw that illusion? Maybe you get to play mermaid and bring in the illusion instead?" Besmara suggests to Chay.

Estelle paces on the deck, furious at the delay and mad that they are at a loss for what to do.

"Trytton did ye look for a land approach? Maybe we be sailing around the island to look for a better way ta attack?"

Seeing that some of the crew - especially Estelle - become restless Besmara decides to go for the bold move. "We are going in no matter what. That sharkmen can't be that much if they send pirates to go after us. It has to be something about the cove."

"And when the big Seamonster shows up you're going to shoot it right back to the ground of the sea from the Thresher." she tells Lito. "Take Flips with you and everyone who can operate a ballista."

"And I want the crew prepared. As far as possible everyone gets something to shoot for range, and a piercing weapon for water combat in addition to their usual stuff. Everyone on position we start in half an hour."

Estelle will rush off with Owlbear to grab a few crew and give them a Crash course in ship repairs. She will grab extra timber and tar, taking it to the bottom of the boat and setting up runners who will grab items when they are needed.

"Unless ye want to be sleepin' wit the fishes if we get breached you be pluggin' that hole with yer arse if needs be." Estelle's excitement builds and she smiles more.

Flips nods to the captain, going below deck to bring up more ballista bolts.

"Chey do we have any of these that are magical yet?" Flips sounds a bit shaky but confident that he can take anything big down with his crew.

Noonan gets his stuff ready

All the crew tenses up as it gets serious now. Some a tense with joyous expectation like Estelle, some are praying all prayers they know to not shit their pants. As everything is prepared and everyone is in position a few sails are set and the Kraken slowly glides around the island followed by the Thresher.

Taking a course close to the coast to go for a turn in the cove the Kraken glides in while the Threshergoes for a full stop in front of the cove throwing the anchor and all looking what to aim for.

Mancatcher Cove forms an almost perfectly round bowl in the side of this jungle-cloaked island. The water in this circular bowl is an almost indigo hue compared to the turquoise of the waters surrounding the island, hinting at the extreme depth of the cove. Cliffs surround the bowl on all sides except the entrance, and a few small beaches have formed where the water meets the rock face. The jungle grows thickly atop these cliffs, the massive trees spreading their branches out and over the cove. From these trees a series of interlaced vines have grown like a loose net canopy 100 feet above the water, giving the cove a cavelike quality in the shadows of predawn or twilight. More vines, creepers, and roots extend down the cliffs, creating a dense maze of twisting tendrils that shroud numerous dark hollows in the rock.

The monster of the cove doesn't need an extra invitation it immediately strikes. And as everyone stares at the sea no one notices it before the first strike.

Vine: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 281d8 ⇒ 4 1 point Str damage
A long vine reaches down from the canopy of the cove and plucks Conchobar out of the crow's nest lifting him into the air and pulling him up.

Above in the canopy climbs a thing that looks like a huge know of vines at the center of the vines that start emerging and reaching down.

Initiative Monster: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Chey stays on the Kracken.

No Flips, I can magic up one for a few minutes, But making them magical long term is beyound me right now.

He turns to talk to the others:

Who is going under water? I don't think it makes sense to be me as I can do more from up here.

For example, I can help you for a bit in combat with an elemental if we need that, or enchant one of the Krackens Balista if that is needed.

Loremaster take 10 nature + 11 = DC 21

Lito seeing what's happening casts message and sends a messages over to Besmara from the Thresher

Look up, it's a damn Canapy Creeper above you!!! It will try to eat the ship and entangle the ship in all these vines.

Then he tells his crew:

Forget the Balista, there's too great a chance we will hit the ship, man the catapult and let's knock those vines down!

Estelle is looking over the deck, down into the water with a spear in hand ready to throw it down when Conchobar screams and gets pulled upwards. Looking confused around at eye level it isn't until someone shouts from above that Estelle looks up.

"BLOODY F' HELL!, what is that?"

K. Nature: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

"HOLY SHITE, Fire UP!" Flips Aims his ballista as vertical as it will go.

Light Ballista: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 123d8 ⇒ (3, 4, 6) = 13

The canopy creeper creeps in the canopy 100 feet above the sea. There is no chance to hit the ship and the rules never included anything about what you hit if you miss with weapon attacks.

Also Flips, you are the master over an array of five ballistas pointing in direction of the cove. Keep them shooting. And consider the times needed to aim and to reload them.

Who is going to let all the Kraken's crew shoot up at the creeper?

Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
"Shoot at that thing and kill it already." Besmara orders and points up at that plant thingy.

Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Chay runs over to the nearest manned Balista and enchants it to be more accurate.
Casts Enchant siege engine

"FIRE EVERYTHING WE HAVE!!" Flips moves around helping to reload and to aim better.

Ballista: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 183d8 ⇒ (3, 5, 8) = 16

Ballista: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 253d8 ⇒ (6, 3, 7) = 16
Confirm Crit: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 176d8 ⇒ (6, 3, 3, 1, 6, 3) = 22

Ballista: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 103d8 ⇒ (3, 7, 8) = 18

Ballista: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 63d8 ⇒ (5, 1, 2) = 8

2 people per ballista takes 1 full round to reload

One of the ballista shots hits, planting a bolt into the wooden mass.

Plese remember that Chay and Flips are on different ships.

Noonan starts shooting
Bow: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 241d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Know Nat: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
As Trytton is underwater off to the side of the boat, it takes him a moment to notice what is happening.
Init: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Noonan also plants an arrow into the creature.

The canopy creeper extends three more of the vines from above and starts attacking the crew.
Vine: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 201d8 ⇒ 6 1Str Dmg
Vine: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 251d8 ⇒ 1 1Str Dmg
Vine: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 301d8 ⇒ 4 1Str Dmg
It is tremendously fast and precise with that and plucks three more members of the crew from the ship.
Dmg Conchobar: 1d8 ⇒ 2 1Str Dmg

Estelle looks up at the beast, flexing her muscles, she grabs up her spear and hurls it two handed at the beast.

Move action to do 2 feats with martial flexibility. Two handed thrower, Vital Strike

"leave the crew alone ye over grown house plant."

Spear: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 122d8 + 6 ⇒ (5, 8) + 6 = 19

Noonan keeps shooting
Longbow: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 181d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Longbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 171d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Noonan shoots, but the arrows simply fall off the thing. They don't penetrate it's hard bark.

Estelle Throws her spear with all might, but it raises only almost up to the height of the monster (You throw up to almost 5 times throwing range of a spear at -8).

Conchobhar screams in pain and tries to inspire his companions to come to his aid. "Help me! Get me out of this things fangs. You need only use touch attacks! Come on, you can make it! Help me hack off that vine!"

He stabs at the vine with his sword cane, but that is the wrong kind of weapon for this and has no effect when wielded by the gnome.

Besmara hurries over to the enchanted ballista, aims it into the sky at this creature and releases the shot.
Ballista: 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 1 - 4 = 9

But the ballista mount is not built for this angles.

Trytton finally notices what is happening. Water begins to swirl around him. It grows faster and faster until he launches a blast of water at the creature.
Blast: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
However his blast misses horribly

All right boys, this is our time to shine, give 'em hell!

Lito starts inspire courage +2 (Round 1/19) for all the Balista shooters on the Thresher

Eaten by a plant! Now that's something you dont see often.

Then he fires an arcane bolt from his hand at the creature.

Magic Missile at plant creature: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 2) + 2 = 6

It is not much, but it is a sure hit that Chay deals to the creature.